In a Book Club Far Away(40)

From upstairs, she heard a thump from Adelaide’s room. She had checked in on her earlier that morning, and her friend was wide awake and reporting more pain on board. Admittedly, Sophie didn’t like the way Adelaide had looked—her walk and demeanor were those of a patient fresh from surgery. By now, she should have been up and about, albeit moving slowly.

When no other noise followed, Sophie settled into the seat.

Before she knew it, Sophie had read thirty pages of the book and her body felt the telltale signs of relaxation: legs crossed at the ankles in front of her, her shoulders no longer at the level of her ears. And she was properly put in her place—the book still did have relevance. So much time had passed since she’d read Waiting to Exhale years ago that it felt like she was meeting these women for the first time. The characters’ personalities jumped off the page, and Sophie was already invested in their lives. Sadly, the movie version also played in her head. The catch-22 of book-to-movie adaptations: the scenes were created for the reader.

“Ahem,” a voice said, and Sophie peeked above her book. Regina was leaning on the doorjamb, holding a fork. “I’ve got breakfast ready. Pancakes, bacon, and eggs.”

Sophie pressed her lips together. Regina had beaten her to the kitchen that morning and shooed her away, a cup of coffee pushed into her hand. If Sophie had not been exhausted, she might have been insulted at not being asked to at least help.

“Thank you.”

“I see you’re reading the book.”

“I am. We said we’d do it.”

“Correction. You said you would, and you agreed for the both of us. Which was wrong.”

Sophie laid the book on her lap and leveled Regina with a glare. Apparently, their fight the other day wasn’t enough for her. “So you’re saying you’re not going to read it.”

Her face crumpled slightly. “No. I’m just saying I didn’t get to agree myself.” She sighed. “How far in are you?”

Sophie paused at this unexpected reaction. Was that acceptance? “Three chapters. You?”

“Um… same.”

Sure.

But before Sophie could challenge Regina, a thump upstairs brought their gazes to the ceiling. “I’ll go check on her,” Sophie said.

“I’ll come with you,” Regina said. “I just need to grab Gen.”

“No worries, I’ve got it.” Sophie stood up to make the point. Truly, too many cooks spoiled the broth, didn’t Regina know that?

Sophie continued her imaginary argument until she reached the second-floor landing, where she heard sniffling.

Adelaide. She rushed to the door and gave a cursory knock, though not even a half second later, she pushed through. On the bed perched Adelaide, pressing a pillow against her belly. Tears streamed down her face.

“Ad, are you okay?” Sophie glanced at her handwritten notes on the bedside table, and sure enough, it wasn’t time for Adelaide’s next dose of pain medicine. In fact, her pain meds were maxed out.

Her voice croaked. “It hurts. I woke up and everything hurts. And I just got sick in the bathroom.”

“You threw up?”

“Yeah.”

“That doesn’t sound good. I think I should call your doctor.”

She groaned. “No. I don’t want to be away from Genevieve.”

“Right. I know you don’t.” Sophie took a second to soften her voice. “Ad, sweetie… it’s obvious that your pain meds aren’t sufficing. Let me take a look at your incisions.”

“Okay.” She lifted her nightgown, and Sophie spied the incision sites. There were two, and they looked clean, though slightly red. But Adelaide’s belly was distended, and it radiated heat. At a slight touch, Adelaide sucked in a breath.

Oh dear. Sophie’s mind ran down the possibilities of what could be causing these symptoms, and it immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario, as it always did.

Infection.

Sepsis.

Sophie grabbed the thermometer from the bedside table, and seconds after she stuck it in Adelaide’s ear, it beeped: 101.3. “You have a fever.”

“So what does that mean?”

“That means I’m calling your doctor right this second.”

Footsteps sounded. “Hey, is there anything I can do?”

Sophie turned, and Regina was at the doorway, with Genevieve just behind her, hair matted and messy, and with a finger in her mouth. Her chin was wet with drool.

“Mama okay?” Genevieve said around her finger.

“Oh, baby,” Adelaide said. “I’m okay, baby. I’m okay.” She turned to Sophie. “I don’t want her to… to see me like this.”

“Reggie, grab that bag over there and fill it with underwear, pants, and a shirt maybe. Toiletries,” she said slowly, thumbing her phone screen at the same time. Her first thought: Text Jasper. He always knew what to do.

Can you get a hold of Matt for me?

SOS but unofficial?



Then she punched Fort Patriot Community Hospital’s phone number, written on the discharge form, also at the bedside. In the background, Genevieve, sensing the emergency, melted into a puddle of tears. Regina held the little girl tightly in her arms.

Thank goodness Regina was here to manage Genevieve, because Sophie’s priority was to get Adelaide to the emergency room as quickly as possible.